TE-link bandwidth model of ODU switch capable OTN interfaces

Abstract

A method and node are disclosed. In the method, circuitry of a first node generates a link state advertising message including bandwidth information indicative of unreserved number of optical channel data unit containers for a plurality of different types of signals supported by an interface of the first node. The link state advertising message is transmitted from the first node to a plurality of second nodes within a mesh network.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising the steps of:
 generating, by circuitry of a first node, a link state advertising message including bandwidth information indicative of unreserved number of optical channel data unit containers for a plurality of different types of signals supported by the first node; wherein the bandwidth information includes a first field and a second field, the first field is indicative of a first maximum label switched path (LSP) bandwidth at a first priority and the second field is indicative of a second maximum LSP bandwidth at a second priority different than the first priority, the link state advertising message further including:
 an encoding field, 
 a switching cap field that identifies a switching technology that is time division multiplexing, such that the encoding field designates a data encoding used in the switching cap field, 
 a TDM switch capability specific information field including a minimum LSP bandwidth field, 
 wherein the first and second fields indicative of the first and second maximum LSP bandwidths, respectively, are provided in the link state advertising message between the encoding field and the TDM switch specific information field, 
 the first maximum LSP bandwidth being equal to a product of a first Unreserved TS-Count and a first TS-Nominal-Rate, the first Unreserved TS-Count being a number of first optical payload unit (OPU) tributary slots unreserved on a first optical data unit (ODU) container, and the first TS-Nominal-Rate being a nominal rate of each of the first OPU tributary slots, and 
 the second maximum LSP bandwidth being equal to a product of a second Unreserved TS-Count and a second TS-Nominal-Rate, the second Unreserved TS-Count being a number of second optical payload unit (OPU) tributary slots unreserved on a second optical data unit (ODU) container, and the second TS-Nominal-Rate being a nominal rate of each of the second OPU tributary slots; 
 
 transmitting the link state advertising message from the first node to a plurality of second nodes within a mesh network. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of types of signals are within a multiplexing hierarchy of signals. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further including transmitting from the first node to the second node a plurality of types of signals, wherein the plurality of types of signals are multiplexed within a single higher order optical channel data unit (HO-ODUk) signal. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mesh network is selected from a group consisting of a shared-mesh Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching (GMPLS) network, a linear GMPLS network, a ring GMPLS network, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first node supports at least three priority levels. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interface of the first node is a first interface, and wherein the first node includes a second interface with the first interface connected to a first link, and the second interface connected to a second link to form a link bundle. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing an optical data unit label switched path including the first node within the mesh network using link state advertising message having at least one link bundle with a first optical channel transport unit OTUk link and a second OTUk link. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second OTUk links have at least one of different data rates, tributary slot bandwidths and different supported multiplexing hierarchies. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further including providing an optical data unit label switched path including the first node within the mesh network using the link state advertising message having at least one link bundle with a first optical channel data unit (ODU) link and a second ODU link. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first ODU link and the second ODU link have at least one of different combinations of ODU data rates, same/different tributary slot granularity, same/different supported multiplexing hierarchies. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein said at least of the plurality of types of signals with an arbitrary data rate is an optical data unit with the arbitrary data rate (ODUflex). 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first node supports at least two priority levels, and wherein at least one of the plurality of types of signals has an arbitrary data rate. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein when the first maximum LSP bandwidth is associated with a nominal rate of ODU3 container, the minimum LSP bandwidth is a nominal rate of an ODU0 container. 
     
     
       14. A method comprising the steps of:
 generating, by circuitry of a first node, a link state advertising message including bandwidth information indicative of unreserved number of optical channel data unit containers for a plurality of different types of signals supported by an interface of the first node; 
 transmitting the link state advertising message from the first node to a plurality of second nodes within a mesh network,
 wherein the interface of the first node is a first interface, and wherein the first node includes a second interface with the first interface connected to a first link, and the second interface connected to a second link to form a link bundle, and with the first and second interfaces of the first node supporting at least two priority levels, and wherein the bandwidth information of the link state advertising message includes a first maximum label switched path (LSP) bandwidth field at a first priority and a second maximum LSP bandwidth field at a second priority, the link state advertising message further including:
 an encoding field, 
 a switching cap field that identifies a switching technology that is time division multiplexing, such that the encoding field designates a data encoding used in the switching cap field, 
 a TDM switch capability specific information field including a minimum LSP bandwidth field, 
 wherein the first and second fields indicative of the first and second maximum LSP bandwidths, respectively, are provided in the link state advertising message between the encoding field and the TDM switch specific information field, 
 the first maximum LSP bandwidth being equal to a product of a first Unreserved TS-Count and a first TS-Nominal-Rate, the first Unreserved TS-Count being a number of first optical payload unit (OPU) tributary slots unreserved on a first optical data unit (ODU) container, and the first TS-Nominal-Rate being a nominal rate of each of the first OPU tributary slots, and 
 the second maximum LSP bandwidth being equal to a product of a second Unreserved TS-Count and a second TS-Nominal-Rate, the second Unreserved TS-Count being a number of second optical payload unit (OPU) tributary slots unreserved on a second optical data unit (ODU) container, and the second TS-Nominal-Rate being a nominal rate of each of the second OPU tributary slots. 
 
 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first node has a plurality of optical channel data unit containers for the plurality of the different types of signals with first ones of the plurality of the optical channel data unit containers being identified in a label switched path and second ones of the plurality of the optical channel data unit containers, the number of second ones of the plurality of optical channel data unit containers being the unreserved number of optical channel data unit containers. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of types of signals are within a multiplexing hierarchy of signals. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of types of signals are multiplexed within a single higher order optical channel data unit (HO-ODUk) signal. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the mesh network is selected from a group consisting of a shared-mesh Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching (GMPLS) network, a linear GMPLS network, a ring GMPLS network, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first node supports at least two priority levels, and wherein the link state advertising message includes, for at least one of the plurality of different types of signals, unreserved number of optical channel data unit containers at the at least the first and second priorities. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising providing an optical data unit label switched path including the first node within the mesh network using the bandwidth information of the link state advertising message having at least one link bundle with a first OTUk link and a second OTUk link. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the first and second optical transport unit (OTUk) links have at least one of different data rates, tributary slot bandwidths and different supported multiplexing hierarchies. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 14 , wherein providing an optical data unit label switched path including the first node within the mesh network using the bandwidth information of the link state advertising message having at least one link bundle with a first optical channel data unite (ODU) link and a second ODU link. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first ODU link and the second ODU link have at least one of different combinations of ODU data rates, same/different tributary slot granularity, same/different supported multiplexing hierarchies. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 14  wherein the first node supports at least two priority levels, and wherein at least one of the plurality of types of signals has an arbitrary data rate. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 24 , wherein said at least one of the plurality of types of signals with an arbitrary data rate is an optical channel data unit having the arbitrary data rate (ODUflex). 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 14 , wherein when the first maximum LSP bandwidth is associated with a nominal rate of ODU3 container, the minimum LSP bandwidth is a nominal rate of an ODU0 container.